2018 Election

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for the effort, time, and heart you poured into the 2018 elections. Despite what the press reports, the results are not yet final. The Contra Costa Elections Department still has 177,000 ballots to count county-wide, and we believe an election does not end until every vote is counted. But while we wait, we wanted to reach out today to tell you that we are so proud of what we have been able to accomplish together.

With our members running for city council, mayor, assembly, and lieutenant governor, the RPA took our progressive agenda to the next level this year. We were, are, and always will be, an audacious, hopeful and visionary group. We ran positive and substantive campaigns in all our races. Through the five campaigns we have made connections with thousands of like-minded people, building alliances which will bring us closer to our goal of creating a society that puts people above profit.

Once the results are in, we know there will still be a solid core of strong progressive voices on the Richmond City Council. Looking at the group of people who made serious runs this year, it’s heartening to see how, after years of effort, we have been able to break the stranglehold of Chevron and establishment politics in our city. RPA has helped redefine the political landscape in Richmond and the East Bay. We look forward to making progress towards a more sustainable, equitable and just city, state, country and world.

PRIMARY RACESVote for one, top two advance to November election. Elect a West County team!

Lieutenant Governor

Gayle McLaughlin

Contra Costa County DA

Diana Becton*

County Supervisor

John Gioia

Assembly District 15

Jovanka Beckles

STATE PROPOSITIONS

Prop 68

Yes

Creates a $4 billion fund for parks in low income neighborhoods

Prop 69

No

Dedicates diesel tax receipts to transportation projects

Prop 70

No

Requires a 2/3rds vote of the legislature to spend cap and trade funds

Prop 71

Yes

Moves effective date of ballot propositions to 5 days after election certification

Prop 72

Yes

Excludes rainwater collection systems from property tax

CITY OF RICHMONDMeasure E YesCharter Amendment creates a Department of Children and Youth with a community oversight board and requires increased funding of youth programs and services from the general fund with significant use of non-profit community organizations (The Richmond Kids First Initiative)

Measure K YesCharter Amendment to modify Measure E if it is passed. Modifications include removal of the requirement to use non-profits for a significant portion of the youth services defined in E, and providing that funding obligations beginning on July 1, 2021, are contingent on passage of a general tax measure for the City of Richmond

County Sheriff - Write in “No Confidence”Current Sheriff David Livingston is running unopposed but has supported the expansion of the County’s contract with ICE and has prioritized jail expansion over providing services that would reduce recidivism and the need for jails. The write-in is the recommendation of the Contra Costa Racial Justice Coalition as well as the RPA — let’s send him a message!

* Candidates marked with an asterisk haven’t yet pledged to run for office free of corporate donations. The RPA only endorses candidates who make this pledge, so these candidates are supported by the RPA but not officially endorsed

Jovanka Beckles is the AD15 candidate whose election would bring to state government, and to national visibility, a uniquely successful local Progressive political model. Jovanka is a working-class veteran of the nation’s most Progressive city council, which has built the nation’s best record of winning elections and implementing successful Progressive policies, in the face of massive oppo-spending by global villain Chevron Corporation, in Chevron’s long-dominated ‘company town’ of Richmond California.